November 13, 2008
News Release 08-108
Inv. No. 731-TA-1135 (Final)
Contact: Peg O'Laughlin, 202-205-1819

The United States International Trade Commission (ITC) today determined that a U.S. industry is neither materially injured nor threatened with material injury by reason of imports of sodium metal from France that the U.S. Department of Commerce has determined are sold in the United States at less than fair value.

All six Commissioners voted in the negative.

As a result of the Commission's negative determination, an antidumping duty order will not be issued.

The Commission's public report Sodium Metal from France (Investigation No. 731-TA-1135 (Final), USITC Publication 4045, November 2008) will contain the views of the Commission and information developed during the investigation.

Copies may be obtained after December 15, 2008, by emailing pubrequest@usitc.gov, calling 202-205-2000, or writing to the Office of the Secretary, 500 E Street SW, Washington, DC 20436. Requests may also be made by fax to 202-205-2104.

Product Description:

The merchandise covered by this investigation includes sodium metal (Na), in any form and at any purity level. Sodium metal is classified in the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (HTSUS) as subheading 2805.11.00. The Chemical Abstract Service (CAS) registry number for sodium metal is 7440-23-5. Sodium metal is used as an input in the production of a variety of chemicals and in the refining of certain metals.

Status of Proceedings:

1. Type of investigation:  Final antidumping.
2. Petitioner:  E.I. du Pont de Nemours and Company, Wilmington, DE.
3. Investigation instituted by USITC:  October 23, 2007.
4. Hearing:  October 14, 2008.
5. USITC vote:  November 13, 2008.
6. USITC notification of Department of Commerce:  November 24, 2008.  

U.S. Industry:

1. Number of U.S. firms involved in production of sodium metal in 2007:  One.
2. Location of producer's plant:  New York.
3. Employment of production and related workers: (1) 
4. U.S. producer's shipments in 2007: (1)
5. U.S. apparent consumption in 2007: (1)
6. Ratio of quantity of total imports to U.S. apparent consumption in 2007: (1)

U.S. Imports: (2)
1. Quantity of subject imports in 2007:  13.4 million pounds.
2. Value of subject imports in 2007:  $12.5 million.

(1) Withheld to avoid disclosure of business proprietary information.
(2) Compiled from official Department of Commerce statistics.